LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – New England Revolution players refused to participate in training on Tuesday afternoon following the sudden resignation of head coach and sporting director Bruce Arena.
Arena bid farewell to MLS fans, Revolution supporters, and his players shortly after their 1-1 tie with Minnesota United last Saturday.
His announcement came as a shock to the MLS community, as it was made minutes after the final whistle.
According to The Athletic, Revolution players chose not to take the training field on Tuesday, citing a lack of clarity from both the club and the league regarding the reasons behind their head coach’s exit.
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Despite engaging in two separate meetings with club officials, lasting a total of over three hours, players expressed dissatisfaction with the responses they received from the club, interim head coach Richie Williams, and interim sporting director Curt Onalfo.
This has resulted in turmoil and confusion surrounding the Revolution’s facilities in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Williams, who was reportedly involved in the investigation into Arena, informed reporters that the decision to skip training was a collective one and related to the extensive discussions held during the meetings.
“We didn’t have training today as we had a bunch of meetings between players, coaches and management,”
Williams explained. “The length of the meetings and what was discussed, we decided as a group, collectively, that we wouldn’t have training today and we’d be out tomorrow.”
When questioned about the specifics of Arena’s departure, Williams deferred to the league, stating, “I can’t get into any further details regarding questions into the investigation. I have to refer to the league.”
With uncertainty and discontent growing within the team, one Revolution player revealed to The Athletic, “Not many guys trust Richie leading the team right now.”
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The report also noted that assistant coaches Shalrie Joseph and Dave Van Den Bergh have walked out of training on ‘multiple‘ occasions since Williams took charge of the team on August 1.
Arena had been placed on ‘administrative leave’ on August 1 due to a club investigation into allegations of ‘inappropriate and insensitive’ remarks.
After 39 days with little information about the U.S. soccer legend, his departure was announced by the club last Saturday.
Arena, a respected figure in U.S. soccer who had previously led the U.S. men’s national team in multiple FIFA World Cups, had been with the Revolution for four years before his departure.
The New England Revolution will next play against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, 16 September.
However, it remains uncertain who will lead the team from the sidelines.